Let's walk through each of the steps for an assessment.
Here are the steps that you can expect for most assessments.
Step 1: Complete the Request for Assessment form or call 919-533-8726 and leave a voice message with your contact information. Do not include details on the form, as the form is not HIPAA protected. We will call you back within two business days for a brief discussion about your concerns. During this discussion, we will decide together if an evaluation is the most appropriate next step for your child.
Step 2: Complete the online documents. If we determine that an evaluation is needed, we will create a private account for you in the Client Portal and email you an invitation. In the portal, you can complete the required intake paperwork, consent forms, and various questionnaires for the assessment process. The Client Portal makes signing documents and completing information easy, eliminating the need for printing and faxing while ensuring HIPAA-privacy standards. Half of the assessment fee is due when your online documents are complete. You can pay with credit card through the Client Portal.
We are currently scheduling evaluations. To accommodate parents with busy schedules, appointments can be scheduled on weekends or late afternoons. Parents, pediatricians, and other referral partners can contact us at 919-533-8726 for more information.
Step 3: Meet with the psychologist for the intake interview. After your online forms are submitted, we will schedule a virtual or in-person interview between the parents and myself. During this interview, we will review the forms that you submitted, and you can provide additional information regarding your child's early history, strengths, and your concerns. We will develop an assessment plan that is tailored to your child's specific profile. If your child is demonstrating signs of possible autism spectrum disorder, we may schedule an evaluation that includes the most current measures for autism, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2nd Edition (ADOS-2). For children with possible developmental delays, learning difficulties or behavioral/emotional difficulties without concerns about autism, we may schedule an evaluation of general development that includes cognitive abilities, academic skills, social/emotional development, and adaptive behavior skills.
Step 4: Meet for the in-person evaluation session. Your child will have an in-person evaluation with the psychologist at The Dawson Center. The in-person session typically lasts 1.5-2 hours, and a parent is required to remain in the building during the child's evaluation. For older children a second in-person testing session may be needed. With parental consent, the psychologist will contact teachers or therapists for additional information regarding the child's strengths and needs.
Step 5: Receive the report and discuss the final interpretation of assessments. Summaries of all the results will be compiled in a downloadable report with the psychologist's analysis and recommendations for the next steps. The psychologist and parents, either virtually or in-person, discuss the results, ask questions, and review recommendations. Parents are provided with a copy of the evaluation report.